The Warrior Within
Within each one of us lies a warrior. Now, I am not talking about soldiers who go off and fight in international conflicts, but I am talking about what is within you specifically. You are a warrior. Some people may not realize what they have, who they are, what their dreams are because they have been listening to the negative opinions of others for way too long. People are entitled to their own opinion. People have their freedom of speech. But, you have your freedom to do whatever you want to do regardless of someone’s negative opinion concerning what you desire, or what you dream about.
There are many, many, many examples out there in this great big world that we live in of people who have overcome trials, obstacles, struggles, challenges, tribulations, etc. People who were not afraid of other peoples’ opinions and lived their lives and lived their dreams.
Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor and was told that “he lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” He had to close down his animation company in 1921 and couldn’t pay his rent anymore. In 1927 he was told by MGM that a giant mouse on the big screen would never work, and would terrify women. Look at where Disney is today. Disney Land, Disney World, hundreds of films from Disney’s humble beginnings with “Mickey Mouse” to their latest animations such as “Tangled” and “Frozen”. Not to mention their hundreds of motion pictures films. Disney also owns ABC, ESPN, now Lucas Films, and many television networks. Someone said that Walt Disney lacked imagination and didn’t have any good ideas. He had great ideas. He didn’t let opinions get him down. He just followed his heart and lived his dreams.
Steven Spielberg got rejected from film school three times before attending another school just to drop out to become a film director. He did not let the rejection he received get to him, He directed many, many films, following his dreams. He eventually went back to school in 2002 and graduated with a Bachelors of Art. Education meant that much to him that though he made millions of dollars, he went back to school to get a degree.
Steve Jobs was fired from the company that he founded. But, when he was able to come back to Apple, he created the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and the iPad. He said in a commencement speech in 2005, “I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life."
Michael Jordan didn’t make it onto his high school basketball team. But, he didn’t let that stop him from playing. Now, after becoming one of the best basketball players of all time, he said, “I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot, and I missed. I have failed over and over and over in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
Albert Einstein couldn’t talk until he was four years old, and couldn’t read until he was seven. His teachers and parents thought that he was mentally handicapped. He was expelled from school and was rejected by the Zurich Polytechnic School. He failed in math. But, he went on to win the Nobel Prize and changed our understanding of physics forever.
In his early years, Thomas Edison was told that he was “too stupid to learn anything” He was fired from the first two jobs that he had because he wasn’t productive enough. Concerning his many failures as he worked on the lightbulb, he said, “I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.”
The list goes on and on. Look at life in a positive light no matter how many negative opinions of other people lash out at you. You have the ability to accomplish great things just as those who have gone before. All you have to do is go out there and do your absolute best. Believe in yourself, your dream, your desire, your passion, and press forward with a determined mind and a heart full of courage. Never giving in to people who say, “You can’t do this” or “You can’t do that”. Never give up on your dreams. Never forfeit your desires to someone else’s critical remarks. You were born to win! You are a warrior!
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awesome post